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Monday 9am - 6pm Tuesday 8:30am - 6pm Wednesday 8:30am - 6pm Thursday 8:30am - 6pm Friday 8:30am - 6pm

Helen Barnett Certified Intuitive Eating Coach, Nutritionist, Dietitian APD

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Australia
Dubbo, NSW
Helen Barnett Certified Intuitive Eating Coach, Nutritionist, Dietitian APD

Helen is a University qualified Nutritionist, having completed a Bachelor of Science majoring in Nutrition at Charles Sturt University.

As a country girl, I prioritise traditional country values of compassion and authenticity alongside trauma-informed, inclusive and affirming care in a rapidly changing, stressful world. Helen was awarded the University Medal for Science upon completion of her studies. She has completed a Masters of Dietetics at the University of Canberra. Post graduation, Helen has completed:
- Monash University L

ow FODMAP training for IBS
- Acceptance and Commitment therapy (Beginners and for Trauma)
- ACT for Dietitian's
- Many Eating Disorder's Courses (e.g. RAVES Model, Eating Disorders Essentials; Eating Disorders in Private Practice; ARFID; Body Image; Eating Disorders in Sport etc)
- Motivational Interviewing
- Nutrigenomics and DNA Testing
- Intuitive Eating Counsellor Certification
- SIBO Mastery Course
- Microbiome Restoration
- Microbiome Restoration for Anxiety and Depression

19/07/2025

Super Excited to announce that Online Bookings are now available with me, Helen Barnett, Dietitian in Orange (Mondays) and Dubbo (Wed to Fri).

You can follow the link below, and there is an online booking page now in my website (I hope it works!).

https://helen-barnett-dietitian-and-nutritionist.splose.com/booking

08/06/2025

Responsive feeding therapy and the SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach to Feeding are both evidence-based strategies for supporting children with feeding difficulties, but they differ in philosophy, practice, and outcomes. Here’s why some professionals and families may consider responsive feeding therapy to be advantageous in certain contexts.

Why Responsive Feeding Therapy May Be Preferred
• Emphasis on Autonomy and Trust: Responsive feeding therapy prioritizes the child’s autonomy, internal motivation, and sense of competence. It respects the child’s hunger and fullness cues, avoiding any form of pressure or coercion, which helps build a trusting relationship between child and caregiver.
• Non-Pressuring Environment: The approach is rooted in responsive parenting, meaning caregivers are attuned and sensitive to the child’s needs and preferences. This reduces stress and anxiety around mealtimes for both children and caregivers, fostering a positive atmosphere that encourages healthy eating habits.
• Long-Term Benefits for Eating Behaviours: By focusing on the feeding relationship and self-regulation, responsive feeding therapy is associated with lower risk of disordered eating and obesity later in life. It supports healthy growth and development by promoting balanced dietary habits and a positive attitude toward food.
• Avoidance of Behavioural Manipulation: Unlike some adaptations of the SOS approach that may incorporate behavioural techniques (such as rewards or desensitization), responsive feeding therapy strictly avoids rewards, punishments, or pressure. This maintains the child’s intrinsic motivation to eat and explore food.
• Individualized and Flexible: Responsive feeding therapy is highly individualized, adapting to each child’s unique needs and developmental stage. It can be especially beneficial for children who are sensitive to pressure or have a history of negative mealtime experiences.

When SOS May Be More Appropriate
• Sensory and Oral-Motor Challenges: The SOS approach is particularly effective for children with significant sensory processing or oral-motor difficulties, as it systematically addresses these aspects through structured steps and sensory exposures.
• Structured Support: For families who benefit from a clear, stepwise plan, SOS provides a detailed framework that can be reassuring and measurable.

Responsive feeding therapy is often considered better for promoting long-term, positive eating behaviours and a healthy relationship with food because it respects the child’s autonomy, avoids pressure, and focuses on the feeding relationship.

The SOS approach, while effective for specific sensory and motor challenges, may involve more structured and sometimes behavioural interventions, which can inadvertently introduce pressure or undermine intrinsic motivation in some children. Ultimately, the choice between approaches should be individualized based on the child’s needs, but responsive feeding therapy is increasingly recognized for its holistic and child-centered benefits.

If you or your family would benefit from a holistic approach to feeding, that supports your child to be intrinsically motivated to eat the food they want to eat, and honours the person they are, then please give me a call. I am so lucky to collaborate with some great OT's, Speech Pathologists and Psychologists who are trained and knowledgeable in the philosophy of co-regulation and responsive parenting and feeding, and can assist with the multi-disciplinary aspects of feeding.
If your child is Autistic or ADHD - we are all Neuro-affirming, and passionate about supporting the unique human your child is.

Please contact me at
Helen Barnett - Dubbo Health Hub, Orange and Dubbo
PH: 5350 4861
email: admin@helenbarnett.com.au

03/06/2025

Over the last few months I have been so privileged to have small group supervision with Responsive Feeding founder and Expert - Dr Jo Cormack from the UK. This is such an amazing and paradigm shifting feeding therapy, especially for extreme selective eaters, kids with ARFID, kids with paediatric feeding disorders, and for helping us as clinicians, support parents regulate and respond to their kids in an intuitive and compassionate way.

Watch this space for information about a free-talk on how Responsive Feeding is perfect fit with Neuro-affirming approaches to dietetics.

27/03/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1EXxFHmbjh/?mibextid=wwXIfr

13/03/2025

Zac and Maximus getting to know each other.
The Animal world is incredible... It is amazing how this big gangly, powerful working dog can be so gentle with a little puppy 🥰

11/03/2025

On the weekend we welcomed our newest member of the family... Meet Maximus - a friend (and baby brother) for Zac (now 3 1/2yeras old; companion, best buddy and soul mate for Mimi; and therapy dog, time waster and ultimate distraction for me. 😍

24/02/2025

After a short break to consolidate my practice in Paediatrics and Eating Disorders, I am back in 2025 with new rooms in Orange and Dubbo.
I am excited to be focusing my work more closely on areas in which I am both passionate and have lived experience.
My areas of interest include Autism, ADHD (Neurodivergence in general), ARFID, selective/aversive eating, Tube Feeding (NG and PEG), supporting families with blended tube feeding, Disability and the NDIS and all aspects of Eating Disorders and one's relationship with food.
I will still be accepting all clients across the age range, needing assistance with any aspect of health and nutrition.
For Appointments in either Dubbo or Orange, please call
ph: 02 6884 1804

13/02/2025

This is a really cool site/resource for parents with Kids struggling with food, nutrition, body image! Lots of great ideas and support!

https://www.facebook.com/TheEmbraceHub

We support parents, educators & sports coaches to help young people build better body image. Founded by Taryn Brumfitt and Dr Zali Yager

09/02/2025

After a break to consolidate my skills and knowledge in Paediatric Dietetics, I am re-opening my Orange rooms on the 10th February at:
1 / 121 Byng St, Orange.
Appointments can be made by calling my Dubbo rooms on:
ph: 6884 1804 or
email: reception@dubbohealthhub.com.au

While a large focus of my work in Orange will be on Paediatrics, Eating Disorders, Intuitive Eating Counselling, Autism, ADHD (Neurodivergence in General) Disability (NDIS), and Gut Disorders, I am still more than happy to see people with general Nutritional issues.
Please note, I don't specialise in pre/post Bariatric care - simply because I haven't done the training - there are other dietitian's more skilled in this area, and I would prefer clients receive specialist support. However, I do specialise in Eating Disorders post-bariatric surgery and the longer-term relationship with food.

As a country girl, I prioritise traditional country values of compassion and authenticity alongside trauma-informed, inclusive and affirming care in a rapidly changing, stressful world.

02/02/2025

This week is Feeding Tube Awareness week!

For all those families who are doing a great job with feeding their kids or family members who have a tube (NG, PEG/PEJ), watch out for some great resources that you can share with others to increase awareness and help us support these kids feel happy and included!

01/02/2025

For all my Orange and Surrounds based clients, I have finally got my act together and am re-opening on:

10th February
at
1 /121 Byng St, Orange

All appointments can be made through my Dubbo rooms by calling:
ph: 6884 1804 or
email: reception@dubbohealthhub.com.au

As you know, I'm a different dietitian.
I've worked hard to feel confident within my different approach - which is all about helping people have choice, autonomy and freedom - about more than just food, but how they want to nurture and honour themselves and their families.

Over the last few weeks and months, I've had to dig deep, as I often have to, to appreciate that change happens on the edges, by people who push the boundaries. I've returned to one of my favourite books - "Braving the Wilderness" by Brené Brown, to reassure myself that being a non-diet, neuro-affirming dietitian, working in responsive feeding and Intuitive eating, is the right path for me.
And then last week, I watched the most incredible movie - "Joy" about the development of IVF - and it re-ignited my passion to keep pushing for change, growth, and innovation.

As Brené Brown outlines in her book, true belonging is about belonging to yourself first, and knowing what that means in terms of your own needs and what your instinct is telling you. It's not about fitting in and being what other people tell you to be.

This is probably why I don't do much social media... 😉

As a country girl, I prioritise traditional country values of compassion and authenticity alongside trauma-informed, inclusive and affirming care in a rapidly changing, stressful world.

Address

345 Darling Street
Dubbo, NSW
2800

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 6pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 6pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 6pm
Thursday	8:30am - 6pm
Friday	8:30am - 6pm

Website

https://www.helenbarnett.com.au/

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About Me

As a Health at Every Size (R) aligned Dietitian I am trained to put your Health FIRST

We live in a society in which there is a lot of pressure to look a certain way. There is so much confusion around weight, body size and what it means to be healthy. It is often assumed that weight is the most important indicator of health, and in order to improve our health we must focus our attention on changing our weight. Consequently, this approach has resulted in the dominance of the "thin ideal" and strategies to control body size (such as dieting) within our culture. Many people are preoccupied with weight, size and shape, and we are bombarded with weight loss campaigns, diet books, boot camps etc from every angle. Unfortunately the "wellness" industry isn't much better as this also suggests that we should aim for some sort of perfection - which quite frankly, isn't achievable for most of us.

Research shows that 95% of people who go on a diet regain the weight they lost within 5 years, with 2/3 of people regaining even more weight. We also know that dieting is the biggest predictor of developing an eating disorder or disordered eating, and is highly correlated with poor body image, anxiety and depression. Many people I see have been dieting for years (i.e. Chronic dieters) and are miserable. They have lost weight quickly, been told they "look" great, only to regain the weight and end up feeling that they have failed. In reality, it is the diet that has failed them - but the tragedy is that they end up feeling worse about their bodies because if they were praised for losing weight then there must be something bad or wrong for now regaining it...??

My approach to health and well-being is unique in that I allow you to choose an approach which you feel fits with your values, lifestyle, past experiences and current goals: 1) Traditional diet program 2) Non-diet approach, 3) Opt-out no intervention. Following a thorough nutrition assessment, I discuss with you your options and together we work out strategies to improve your health and reach your goals. If you wish to pursue a traditional diet program, I can help you structure a plan, after explaining the risks and possible benefits. Likewise, if you choose a Non-diet approach, I can walk you through what is involved for you to make positive improvements in both your physical and psychological health.

What is a Non-Diet approach?

Stated simply, a non-diet approach aims to remove the rules of external diets and allows you to recognise internal body cues, such as hunger and fullness, so that you can nourish your body in appropriate amounts. Consequently, this enables you to self-regulate food intake without the aid of a meal plan as you have learned to "tune in" to your own body's needs.

More specifically, the non-diet approach shuns traditional dietary prescription, such as calorie counting. It does not involve weighing food or your body, keeping a food diary, planning meals or special "diet foods". In fact, using the Non-diet approach, all foods are embraced and there are NO "good" or "bad" foods. What it does encourage is understanding one's relationship with food, and how denying food and creating food rules through dieting has only served to keep us trapped in a vicious cycle of restriction, excess (aka bingeing) then guilt, shame, remorse and then restriction....

My Philosophy

Over the last 10-20 years or so the non-Diet approach has become an increasingly robust method for dietary management - whether it be for weight loss, reducing cardiac risk, diabetes, PCOS or in Mental Health. It has shown promising results in the areas of quality of life, improved biochemical markers, improved psychological outcomes and reduction of yo-yo dieting. It is a mindful-based eating approach - encouraging a focus on responding to one's internal eating cues such as hunger and fullness and the satisfaction and pleasure of eating, which also supports self-esteem, self-care and non-judgemental body acceptance. This style of dietary counselling aims to help people return to an intuitive and attuned style of eating: it is less dictatorial, and is instead a much gentler approach, allowing people to build skills and confidence in their own innate ability to select appropriate foods to nourish their bodies, in the appropriate amounts, when their hunger dictates.

I became attracted to both the Non-diet approach and Intuitive Eating because they focus on learning to love your body so you can be healthy. Rather than focusing on weight loss, the non-diet approach focuses on behaviours that improve a whole range of health outcomes, and these flow over into our daily lives. These include sleep quality, energy and vitality, mood and mental health, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, skin and hair, relationships....

The Non-Diet Approach is the application of the Health at Every Size (R) movement, which has 5 guiding principles:

Accepting and respecting the diversity of body shapes and sizes

Recognizing that health and well-being are multi-dimensional and that they include physical, social, spiritual, occupational, emotional and intellectual aspects

Promoting all aspects of health and well-being for people of all sizes

Promoting eating in a manner which balances individual nutritional needs, hunger, satiety, appetite and pleasure

Promoting individually appropriate, enjoyable, life-enhancing physical activity, rather than exercise that is focused on a goal of weight loss

For more information about HAES (R) please visit https://www.sizediversityandhealth.org

For more information about the Non diet approach please visit https://www.healthnotdiets.com